Pizza Possum News

There are many reasons one might want to enjoy a sizeable cake. It might be a milestone birthday or a big promotion at work. Or it might be as simple as the joy of two people getting married. Its beauty and tasty details are entirely in the hands of its baker, so bring out your inner artist when making this recipe.

For the cake (one layer)

• 250 g unsalted and softened butter
  
• 250 g of caster sugar
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
  
• 250 g of flour
  
• 2½ tsp baking powder
  
• ½ tsp baking soda
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• Zest of 1 lemon
  

For the mascarpone cream (one layer)

• 250 ml mascarpone chilled
  
• 60 icing sugar
  
• 175 ml double cream
  
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  

For the crushed pistachio filling (one layer)

• 250 g unsalted unshelled pistachios
  
• 100 g sugar
  
• 150 ml of double cream
  

Additional Decorative Elements

• Chocolate Buttercream creates variation
  
• Fresh fruits (strawberries, citrus) provides vibrancy
  
• Additional garnishes (herbs, plants) adds colour
  

[h2]FOR THE CAKE[/h2]
For the cake, it’s always best set up the basics, so simply pre-heat your oven to 180C/350 C and grease two 8″/20cm cake pans, add parchment paper, and set aside. Next you add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix until it is fluffy and light. Add the eggs one by one, making sure to whip well after each to ensure even incorporation. This is also when you add the vanilla paste and the zest of a lemon.

In a separate bowl, add the sifted flour, salt, baking soda and powder, mix and then add it all to the wet ingredients, mixing well and ensuring that the sides of the mixing bowl are scraped down occasionally to incorporate it well. Finally you divide the batter between the two prepared pans, weighing them to ensure they are of equal size, and then bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until your cake tester come out clean. Remove the finished cakes from the oven and set the, on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, then remove them from the pan and let them cool completely

[h2]FOR THE CREAM[/h2]
As for the mascarpone scream, whip the mascarpone with icing sugar and vanilla bean paste, stirring for about 1 - 2 minutes until they are well combined. Then add double or whipping cream to the mixture and whip for 2 more minutes until stiff.

[h2]FOR THE FILLING[/h2]
Finally for the pistachio filling, simply chop up the majority of your pistachios and set them aside. Make sure to save at least a few semi-whole so that you get added texture and crunch. Next, add the sugar to the cream and mix until nice and fluffy. Finally add your pistachios, mix them in gently and you’re done!

[h2]CAKE ASSEMBLY[/h2]
This one is fairly straightforward, but take about ¼ of the mascarpone cream and put it on top of the bottom cake piece. Dap on a nice portion of the pistachio filling and spread it over. Next, you add another dollop of mascarpone cream and level everything with a cake spatula. Cover it with the second cake layer. Next, you cover the entire cake with mascarpone cream and decorate it to your takes. If you scrape more along the edges you will get a “naked” effect, which gives it a more rustic look, while putting on more will create a more classical-looking result. You can then decorate to your heart's content, adding chocolate, fruits, and even flowers if you so wish to create the cake of your dreams!

With pearly white buildings, crystalline pools, and delicious food scattered as far as the eye can see, one can easily understand why this district got its name. Only the richest in the village could afford such decadence, enjoying the view across the water while sitting in their private tubs and nibbling on fruit.

Lucky for our Possum and Raccoon, it also makes for an excellent pit stop on the way to the ultimate goal - the Gigantic Pizza and snatching the Crown off Bella Chonki's head. A quick dash across these marbled rooftops and through their cafés and you should reward you with treats, items and more.

Much the intern of the patrol, the Junior Guard is not only significantly younger than the rest, but is also still trying to get the ropes of what it means to be part of the squad. While slower than its colleagues, the Junior Guard will put all of its heart into catching the Possum, though its lack of experience often hinders them from seeing it through.

As such, when you encounter these adorable little champs, make sure to give them an extra cheer of encouragement as you race away as fast as you can.

Scattered across the village you will find mysterious little cave entrances with a P clearly marked above the entrance. These are in fact your possum dens and are where you return to when caught by the patrolling dogs. These locations don’t automatically unlock as you work your way through the various districts of the island. Instead, you have to clearly plant your possum flag over the entrance you wish to return to if the worst happens, and you do this by simply running up to the entrance of the cave. Be careful when returning to old districts, either in the hunt of food or to escape the guards, as you can re-activate old checkpoints and end up losing some progress if you get caught. Make sure you don’t forget, or you might end up getting caught close to Bella Chonki’s elusive pizza only to find yourself back by the beach, several districts away.

It doesn’t matter what age you are, there are few who can deny the joy of eating a good bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Deliciously savory, beautifully spiced, and surprisingly satisfying, all wrapped up in one happy meal. This one is more complex than previous recipes, as it not only takes time to make but also to cook.

• 1 kg of ground meat, either go 50/50 veal/beef or pork/beef
  
• 1 large egg
  
• 1 dl bread crumbs
  
• 2/3 dl milk
  
• 1 dl freshly grated Parmesan
  
• 1 dl finely chopped parsley
  
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoons of olive oil
  
• 3 cloves of garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
  
• 2 teaspoon mixed Italian herbs. This time around I went for 2 parts oregano, 1 part thyme and 1 part sage.
  
• 2 teaspoons of salt (or to taste)
  
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or to taste)
  
• 1 batch of the Red Sauce/tomato sauce made in advance
  

See, a much longer list this time. First off, prep your red sauce if you haven’t already, otherwise you will not get any sauce with your meatballs. As for the meatballs, mix the meat, bread crumbs, Parmesan, dried herbs, chili flakes, parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk the egg and milk in a separate container, mix all the ingredients in the meat bowl, and then incorporate everything, making sure to check the wetness as you go. Just don’t overwork it, as the meatballs will get very dense otherwise. Oh, and fry up a small sample to make sure the seasoning is good.

And now it’s time to shape the balls, so pick a spoon of your choice, and then roll them into perfect plump spheres. Now into the oven they go, about 5 minutes to then be flipped and back they go for another 5 minutes before you place them into your red sauce. The key is to brown them a bit, but you will also let them stew in the sauce so don’t worry too much about internal temperature. Also, add those meat drippings into your red sauce, leaving no flavor behind! And then it’s time to simmer and pick out your pasta. Boil it to perfection and dig in!